The Tuesday Playlist: Finales, a Salute to Primetime Soaps, White Collar, The Taste

Tuesday

Jan 22, 2013 at 12:10 PMJan 22, 2013 at 9:04 PM

TV Guide

It's another ridiculously busy night of TV, with premieres and finales jousting for attention amid other distractions. It's just as well that CBS' top-rated lineup is taking a breather with repeats.

First, the farewells, going head to head. Once again, NBC sends away its reliably tear-jerking Parenthood (10/9c) earlier in the TV year than we'd like, but a limited run of 15 episodes beats the alternative. Shows like this don't tend to repeat well, and if a shorter run makes business sense - while freeing up the time period in the back half of the season for something else (in this case, a retooled Smash in two weeks) - then so be it. This fourth season has been Parenthood's strongest and most emotionally charged to date, especially in the storyline involving Kristina's breast cancer ordeal, providing Monica Potter and Peter Krause (as husband Adam) with their strongest dramatic material to date. Emmy voters, wake up and take note.